Red Stad
Red Stad is the 2nd largest city in Kozaria and 4th largest in Darnussia. It was originally founded by industrialists to have factories moved away from crowded Doressa and it gained it's name from the mainly workingclass population. Because of the industry Red Stad grew quickly and these days it is one of the most important cities of trade for Darnussia. Red Stad also hosts the Red Stad University, one of the 5 major universities in Darnussia. History of Red Stad "Red Stad," is a shortened version of a hybrid name from Narik and Darnus languages, which originally translated as "Fort City on the Red River, at the first major bend above the Delta." It was founded circa 900 CE, primarily as a military outpost. The discovery that the nearby forests produced excellent wood for mainsails made this inland city of prime importance to the Royal Navy of Darnussia, driving early industrialization. By 1050, it was the most important city on the Red River, and was the capital of the County of Northwest Kozaria circa 1120. Red Stad changed from a town of regional importance to one of national importance in 1375, when the Duke of Kozaria inherited his cousin's title in Alkavon, and required a more central location from which to govern the two Duchies. Red Stad was the logical choice, being on the Red River that forms the Alkavon-Kozaria border. Although the two Duchies were separated by 1420, Red Stad remained the Kozarian capital city, mainly because the Dukes preferred the new Palace at Red Stad over the stodgy old castles near Doressa. When the Industrial Revolution arrived in Darnussia, its first stop was Red Stad. The river conditions near Red Stad were ideal for milling and other forms of early river-power functions. Its central location also allowed it to attract prospective workers, not only from the Red River floodplains, but from the Alkavon and Kozarian heartlands. The first Darnussian railway, connecting Ghacrow and Doressa, had its central hub in Red Stad. The first international rail link terminated at Red Stad as well. Despite being generally scoffed and ridiculed as a uncultured, working-class city by the nobility and elites, Red Stad was one of the richest cities in Darnussia with a large population up until the times of the Deltarian rule, where it briefly became the capital (albeit under occupation) of the nation. Everything changed in 2323 when the major part of the city was destroyed with nuclear missile. Area was quarantined and it is still mainly unhabitable. Surviving parts of the city were rejoined into the new Red Stad that was being rebuild up north from the old city. Those parts became later known as Nuclear Slums, which are one of the worst in entire Darnussia. Red Stad University, which was positioned outside the old city and because of that survived the attack, became the core of the new Red Stad and it dominates the very center of the new city. In last 200 years Red Stad has grown nearly as large as it was before the nuclear attack, with many factories and industries returning to the city. It has ultimately been restored as an important trade and industrial city in the modern day Darnussia. Because Red Stad is located on the border between two states, much of the Greater Metropolitan population of the city actually lives and/or works in Alkavon. Major Alkavon suburbs include North Red Stad, Stornheim, and Darnus City. Kozarian suburbs include West Red Stad and Rapivon. People and Population Red Stadders have always been the core of the working class in Darnussia. Much of the population is industrial workers, but lately the economy has shifted somewhat towards services instead of industry. Red Stad, as part of Kozaria and Darnussian mainland, has usually been poorer than the Darnussian Islands in Migrant's Pass. That is one of the reasons leftwing parties are popular in Red Stad. Nationalists are also popular among the lower classes, because of the destruction of old Red Stad. Red Stad also has the largest and poorest slums of all Darnussia, known as Nuclear Slums. They are one of the few parts of the old Red Stad that survived the attack and are mainly populated by the poorest members of the society. Life expectancy is low, while crimerates are high, as is unemployment. Michael Reilly (as well as many other famous people) as a young child, lived in these slums with his parents who had immigrated from Empire of Talmoria. This explains his early death from cancer.